Hi Everyone, I am looking to find an English teaching job in Paris. I am American, have a Master of Education, a TEFL certificate, Massachusetts State Teaching Licenses and roughly 5 years of foreign language teaching experience. I speak English, Spanish, and Intermediate Italian. My French is very low (I can understand it in written form but have not started any formal studying yet - I would like to study French as well in Paris.) Does anyone have any advice for how to get started? I taught English in Madrid, Spain for a few years but I don't know where to begin my search for Paris. Merci!!!

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Hello and nice to meet you!! To be honest, from my knowledge for non-EU citizens, the barriers to entry are high. At the least, you will need a basic understanding of French. Improving your French from "very low" to "intermediate" at least may help you a lot.. Good luck!!

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I think that it is very good that you already have 5 years of teaching experience.. If this didn't happen I believe it would have been much harder for you in my opinion. Knowing 3 more languages besides some French will help you too! Work on your French and everything will be great for you!

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An old friend told me recently that as English-language demand rises each year, the demand for suitable teachers has risen exponentially in recent years. So after reading your description I can assure you will find your job in Paris so there is no need to be worried about this!

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Teaching in France can be that once-in-a-lifetime chance to live in romantic Paris, or in a quaint French village or in the glamorous Mediterranean. The dream is possible but it's not easy. The French can, and do, demand a high-calibre teacher.

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It will be pretty hard in my opinion but the good news is that outside of Paris, there is still a high demand for well qualified teachers but you need to be prepared to get the right qualification, get a visa and do a bit of searching outside the box. Knowing the French language will help you in your search.

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The first thing you will need is a professional TEFL certification to be considered for an English teaching job in France. It is considered to be the most important aspect when talking about being hired as a teacher in France!!

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Besides knowing French really well you also have to do an important thing! Arrive in France with enough financial resources to support yourself for 4-6 weeks because most schools will not pay you upfront, so you will Teaching English in Franceneed to support yourself until you start receiving paychecks.

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I had the same problem a few years ago but I made it through.. Here is a small tip I got back then: If you have friends or relatives in France, have them scout out local schools before your arrival. Also, have them inquire with friends and colleagues to see if they might be interested in private lessons – this will enable you to start making money and getting experience as soon as you arrive.

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As a previous user said there is a huge demand for private lessons and tutoring. You can also offer English lessons privately in people’s homes starting at Euro 15-20 a session. This will be one of the best possible beginnings for your career as a teacher in France!

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Before becoming a teacher in a school I think it would be better to do something.. When you arrive start marketing yourself as a private tutor immediately and aggressively! This will help you for sure !

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Dress professionally and conservatively when meeting prospective employers; remove facial piercings (if necessary). Always arrive on-time or early for interviews. I think this should be common sense but I thought that there must be someone to give you this advice.

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I am sure that you will do just fine and you will have no problem being hired. As a friendly advice: Search out the local teaching community; find out where they hang out, talk to them and build relationships. Word-of-mouth and personal referrals can be an excellent way to find local job opportunities.

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Here is a big tip for you, my friend: Universities typically pay €45 (£30) an hour to give extra bonus courses to their students. These posts are usually given to MA students from England or America. Human resource managers in the universities are surprised to find out there are real English teachers who would kill for these jobs.

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There are a number of ways to find work teaching English as a foreign language in Paris. You can offer private tuition, work for one of the many English language schools that are thriving in the city, find a supply-teaching post at a university, or become a teacher's assistant at a college (children aged 11 to 14) or lycée (children aged 15 to 18).

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Hello !! Regarding the other students from France: Do not be put off by the Parisian reputation of hostility towards foreigners. On the contrary, you will often find students eager to learn and extremely hospitable. Adult students in particular love to practice their English, asking you about your country and your impression of theirs.

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You said that your French is pretty low right now.. Well, do not be put off if you don't speak the language. French is not always required. You can still succeed without knowing the language, but it would be better to master it, because there will surely be some situations when you will need it.

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The best is to arrive in Paris around June or July before everyone has gone on holiday and send CVs around to the schools' addresses, which can be found in the yellow pages. Hopefully this will help you..